Head of Denver's FBI leaving

DENVER - The man in charge of Denver's FBI is leaving to be the assistant director of the Critical Incident Response Group (CIRG).

James F. Yacone will begin his new position in Quantico, Virginia this month.

CIRG provides communities with expertise in such areas as crisis management, tactical operations and hostage rescue.

Yacone was named Special Agent in Charge of the Denver field office in March of 2011.

He had previously served as section chief in the CIRG.

Yacone is well known for leading his men through the well-publicized 1993 battle of Mogadishu. The actions of his fellow soldiers, sailors and airmen were profiled in the movie "Black Hawk Down."

Yacone received a Silver Star for his actions during the battle in which 18 Americans died.

Yacone joined the FBI as a special agent in 1995. He was first assigned to the FBI's Philadelphia Division where he investigated violent drug trafficking organizations, organized crime and bank fraud.

In 2000, Yacone spent long days in the heat investigating the bombing of the USS Cole when a suicide attacker blew a hole in the side of the ship as it made a routine fuel stop in the Yemeni port of Aden.

Seventeen Americans were killed and 39 were injured.

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